Double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus and method for using the same

ABSTRACT

A double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus and method for using the same are capable of cutting a relatively large workpiece with a relatively small size band saw, furthermore, it improves the cutting efficiency and life of the band saw. Since the pipe to be cut is put on a rotary table which is mounted a slide table, it can be continuously rotated and moved with respect to the band saw assembly during the cutting operation. Hence, the pipe to be cut can be completely cut by a band saw whose operable cutting length of the band saw does not have to be larger than the diameter of the pipe, which reduces cutting time while improving cutting efficiency. On top of that, the service life of the band saw is extended since the cutting operation is not just performed by the rotation of the band saw.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pipe cutting method and device, andmore particularly to a double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus anda method for using the same.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Band saw apparatuses are common machines, and conventional band sawapparatus mostly work in such a way that the band saw is driven torotate continuously to cut the workpiece which is clamped in astationary manner. Since the workpiece is stationary, the band saw musthave an operable cutting length which is larger than the size of theworkpiece, so that the workpiece can be cut completely. In this case,the band saw apparatus will be very large if the workpiece to be cut islarge.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide adouble-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus which is capable ofcutting a relatively large workpiece with a relatively small size bandsaw, furthermore, it improves the cutting efficiency and life of theband saw.

To achieve the above objective, a double-acting pipe cutting band sawapparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises: a base, aslide table, a rotary table, a clamp unit, and a band saw assembly. Thebase is provided with a rail extending in an axial direction. The slidetable is provided at a bottom thereof with a slide block which is to beslidably mounted on the rail of the base to enable the slide table to becapable of sliding in the axial direction. The rotary table is rotatablymounted on the slide table and includes a shaft extending in a radialdirection, the rotary table is rotatable with respect to the shaft andprovided with a plurality of slide grooves which are equiangularlyarranged around the shaft. The clamp unit is mounted on the rotary tableand including a plurality of clamps which are slidably disposed theslide grooves of the rotary table. The band saw assembly includes aframe, two rollers rotatably disposed in the frame, and a band saw whichis put on and rotated by the rollers.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method forusing the double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus to cut the pipe,and the method is capable of improving the cutting efficiency, reducingthe size of the band saw, and extending the life of the band saw.

To achieve this objective, a method for using the double-acting pipecutting band saw apparatus in accordance with the present inventioncomprises:

a step of fixing the pipe to be cut and making the pipe to be cuthorizontally movable and rotatable;

step of rotating a band saw which is disposed in a frame;

step of step cutting, including a plurality of sub-cutting processeswhich are carried out continuously, each of the sub-cutting processesincluding a cutting process, a discharging process, a rotating processand a feeding process, after moving into a cutting area of the band saw,the pipe to be cut is continuously moved into contact with the band saw,so that the cutting process is carried out by the band saw, during thecutting process, only a part of the pipe to be cut is cut, after thecutting process, the discharging process is carried out to move the pipeto be cut back away from the band saw, after that, the rotating processis carried out to rotate the pipe to be cut to a position where theuncut part of the pipe is rotated to face the band saw, then, thefeeding process is carried out to move the pipe to be cut close to theband saw, making it ready for the next sub-cutting process; and

step of finishing cutting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing that a double-acting pipe cuttingband saw apparatus in accordance with the present invention is cutting apipe with a relatively small diameter;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that a double-acting pipe cuttingband saw apparatus in accordance with the present invention is cutting apipe with a relatively large diameter;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart view showing a method for using the double-actingpipe cutting band saw apparatus to cut the pipe in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view showing the method for using thedouble-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus to cut the pipe inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be clearer from the following descriptionwhen viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, forpurpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordancewith the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a double-acting pipe cutting band sawapparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises: a base 10,a slide table 20, a rotary table 30, a clamp unit 40, a band sawassembly 50 and a balance cylinder 60.

The base 10 is provided with a rail 11 extending in an axial directionX.

The slide table 20 is provided at a bottom thereof with a slide block 21which is to be slidably mounted on the rail 11 of the base 10, so thatthe slide table 20 is capable of sliding in the axial direction X.

The rotary table 30 is rotatably mounted on the slide table 20 andincludes a shaft 31 extending in a radial direction Y. The rotary table30 is rotatable with respect to the shaft 31 and provided with aplurality of slide grooves 32 which are equiangularly arranged aroundthe shaft 31.

The clamp unit 40 is mounted on the rotary table 30 and includes aplurality of clamps 41 which are disposed in and movable with respect tothe slide grooves 32 of the rotary table 30.

The band saw assembly 50 includes a frame 51, two rollers 52 and a bandsaw 53. The two rollers 52 are rotatably disposed in the frame 51, andthe band saw 53 is put on and rotated by the rollers 52.

The balance cylinder 60 is supported between the frame 51 and the base10 to balance the frame 51.

To perform a pipe cutting operation with the double-acting pipe cuttingband saw apparatus of the present invention, the pipe A to be cut shouldbe placed on the rotary table 30 to encircle the clamps 41 of the clampunit 40. At this moment, the clamps 41 of the clamp unit 40 can beadjusted to fit the size of the pipe A to be cut. For example, as shownin FIG. 1, when the pipe A has a relatively small diameter, the clampsA1 can be moved close to the shaft 31 of the rotary table 30 to pressagainst the inner periphery of the pipe A, or, as shown in FIG. 2, whenthe pipe A has a relatively small diameter, the clamps A1 can be movedclose to the shaft 31 of the rotary table 30 to press against the innerperiphery of the pipe A, the pipe A has a relatively large diameter, theclamps A1 can be moved away from the shaft 31 of the rotary table 30 topress against the inner periphery of the pipe A, so that the pipe A tobe cut is fixed.

After the pipe A to be cut is positioned on the rotary table 30, theposition of the slide table 20 can also be adjusted based on the size ofthe pipe A to be cut, namely, the slide table 20 can slide to move thepipe A to be cut close to the band saw assembly 50. Meanwhile, theheight of the frame 51 of the band saw assembly 50 can be adjusted tobest fit the height of the pipe A to be cut.

During the cutting operation, the two rollers 52 of the band sawassembly 50 rotate the band saw 53. Meanwhile, the rotary table 30 alsorotates, and the slide table 20 slides close to the band saw assembly50, so that both the band saw 53 and the pipe A to be cut are movable.Since the pipe A to be cut is put on the rotary table 30, it can becontinuously rotated with respect to the band saw assembly 50 during thecutting operation. Hence, the pipe A to be cut can be completely cut bythe band saw 53, and the operable cutting length of the band saw 53 doesnot have to be larger than the diameter of the pipe A to be cut, whichreduces cutting time while improving cutting efficiency. On top of that,the service life of the band saw 53 is extended since the cuttingoperation is not just performed by the rotation of the band saw.

Therefore, the double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus inaccordance with the present invention is suitable for cuttinglarge-scale pipe A.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a method for using the double-acting pipecutting band saw apparatus to cut the pipe A in accordance with thepresent invention comprises:

step 1 of fixing the pipe A to be cut: fixing the pipe A to be cut bypressing against an inner periphery of the pipe A to be cut, and makingthe pipe A to be cut horizontally movable and rotatable;

step 2 of rotating the band saw: rotating the band saw 53 which isdisposed in the frame 51;

step 3 of adjusting the frame: adjusting the height of the frame 51 tobetter fit the pipe A to be cut;

step 4 of feeding before cutting: feeding the pipe A to be cut by movingit close to the band saw 53 in the frame 51;

step 5 of slowing down the feeding: slowing down the feeding speed afterthe pipe A to be cut is moved to an cutting area of the band saw 53;

step 6 of step cutting: including a plurality of sub-cutting processes61 which are carried out continuously, each of the sub-cutting processes61 includes a cutting process 611, a discharging 612 process, a rotating613 process and a feeding process 614. After moving into the cuttingarea of the band saw 53, the pipe A to be cut is continuously moved intocontact with the band saw 53, so that the cutting process 611 is carriedout by the band saw B1. During the cutting process 611, only a part ofthe pipe A to be cut is cut. After the cutting process 611, thedischarging process 612 is carried out to move the pipe A to be cut backaway from the band saw 53. After that, the rotating process 613 iscarried out to rotate the pipe A to be cut to a position where the uncutpart of the pipe is rotated to face the band saw 53. At this moment, thefeeding process 614 is carried out to move the pipe A to be cut close tothe band saw B, making it ready for the next sub-cutting process 61;

Step 7 of finishing cutting.

It is clear from the above description that the cutting method of thepresent invention employs the step cutting 6 to cut the pipe A, and thestep cutting 6 includes a plurality of sub-cutting processes 61. Thenumber of sub-cutting processes 61 depends on the size of the pipe A tobe cut, the bigger the pipe A to be cut is, the more sub-cuttingprocesses 61 will be involved.

The cutting operation of the present invention is mainly achieved bythese sub-cutting processes 61, and each of the sub-cutting processes 61includes a cutting process 611, a discharging process 612, a rotating613 process and a feeding process 614. After each cutting process 611 isperformed, the pipe A to be cut will be moved back (the dischargingprocess 612), rotated an angle (the rotating process 613) and movedclose to the band saw again (the feeding process 614). With the rotationand horizontal slide of the pipe A to be cut, the pipe A can be cut stepby step so as to reduce the cutting volume and cutting depth at eachtime the band saw 53 cuts, which consequently reduces the wear and tearand improves the life of the band saw 53. Furthermore, with less cuttingvolume and depth, the step cutting allows the band saw run more easilywithout the problem that the band saw may get stuck due to large amountof cutting.

Similarly, due to the step cutting, the pipe A can be cut by a band saw53 whose operable cutting length does not have to be larger than thediameter of the pipe A to be cut, which substantially reduces the sizeof the band saw.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatuscomprising: a base with a rail extending in an axial direction; a slidetable provided at a bottom thereof with a slide block which is to beslidably mounted on the rail of the base to enable the slide table to becapable of sliding in the axial direction; a rotary table rotatablymounted on the slide table and including a shaft extending in a radialdirection, the rotary table being rotatable with respect to the shaftand provided with a plurality of slide grooves which are equiangularlyarranged around the shaft; a clamp unit mounted on the rotary table andincluding a plurality of clamps which are slidably disposed the slidegrooves of the rotary table; and a band saw assembly including a frame,two rollers rotatably disposed in the frame, and a band saw which is puton and rotated by the rollers.
 2. The double-acting pipe cutting bandsaw apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprises a balance cylinderwhich is supported between the frame and the base.
 3. A method for usingthe double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus as claimed in claim 1to cut a pipe comprising: a step of fixing the pipe to be cut and makingthe pipe to be cut horizontally movable and rotatable; step of rotatinga band saw which is disposed in a frame; step of step cutting, includinga plurality of sub-cutting processes which are carried out continuously,each of the sub-cutting processes including a cutting process, adischarging process, a rotating process and a feeding process, aftermoving into a cutting area of the band saw, the pipe to be cut iscontinuously moved into contact with the band saw, so that the cuttingprocess is carried out by the band saw, during the cutting process, onlya part of the pipe to be cut is cut, after the cutting process, thedischarging process is carried out to move the pipe to be cut back awayfrom the band saw, after that, the rotating process is carried out torotate the pipe to be cut to a position where the uncut part of the pipeis rotated to face the band saw, then, the feeding process is carriedout to move the pipe to be cut close to the band saw, making it readyfor the next sub-cutting process; and step of finishing cutting.
 4. Themethod for using the double-acting pipe cutting band saw apparatus tocut the pipe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of fixing the pipeto be cut is carried out by pressing against an inner periphery of thepipe to be cut.
 5. The method for using the double-acting pipe cuttingband saw apparatus to cut the pipe as claimed in claim 3 furthercomprises a step of adjusting a height of the frame to better fit thepipe to be cut, and the step of adjusting the height of the frame isperformed between the step of rotating the band saw and the step of stepcutting.
 6. The method for using the double-acting pipe cutting band sawapparatus to cut the pipe as claimed in claim 3 further comprises a stepof feeding the pipe to be cut by moving it close to the band saw and astep of slowing down a feeding speed of moving the pipe to be cut afterthe pipe to be cut is moved to the cutting area of the band saw, andthese two steps are carried out before the step of step cutting.